Folding table with seats



Nov. 28, 1933. c. T. os-Tl-:RBERG FOLDING'TABLE WITH SEATS Filed Aug.23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 6.77950. QSTERBERQ Nov. 28, 1933. c. T.osTERBl-:RG

FOLDING TABLE WITH SEATS Filed Aug. 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Gf m Bm.RW E r/ s, O 0. M. f C.

" HrroR/VEYS;

STATES PATENT oFF-ica FOLDING TABLE WITH SEATS Carl T. Osterberg,Milwaukee, Wis., assigner to Handy Table Set Co., Milwaukee, Wis., acorj poration of Wisconsin Application August 23, 1926. Serial No.301,462

6 Claims.

The invention .relates to camping equipment, and is designed primarilyfor the use of tourists.

The object of the invention is to provide a folding table havingconnected seats, the seats and their supports being Vconstructed andarticulated so as to be folded compactly into two shallow receptacleswhich are hinged together in such manner that when opened the outersides of the receptacles constitute the top of the table.

The invention resides in a unitary construction composed of two shallowreceptacles which are hinged together each other, making and adapted tofold upon a compact closure of minimum dimensions, in which the seatstogether with their supports table are completel and the supports forthe y enclosed. By this construction a readily portable device isproduced,

which, by reason of its small bulk, will require but little space forits storage during transportation. The device is so constructed as to beeasily set up for service, or

collapsed for transportation.

In the construction, special attention has been given to the feature ofmaking the seats and their supporting legs as sturdy structures, capableof sustaining the weight of persons seated at the table.

The table top itself rises above and is supported in a novel manner fromthe seats, which are arranged at opposite sides of the table.

The 'arrangement of the table top supports is such that persons areenabled of the seats, without the structure. This to move freely intoandout obstruction by any part of manner of supporting the Figure 1 isan end ing the two compartments as folded together, ready fortransportation.

view of the invention showand Figure 2 is a like View, showing thecompartments as opened, preliminary to withdrawing the elements foldedtherein.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation, looking from the left of Fig. 2, andshowing the seats and their supports in folded position in one of thecompartments. Figure 4 is a vie w in side elevation, partly broken out,and showing the table and its seats erected for use.

Figure 5 is a similar View in end elevation, partly broken out.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged underside plan View of one 69 of the seats,showing some details of construction, with one of the legs omitted.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 7--7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the leg 65 encasing brackets 30and an associated brace 18.

In the drawings, the numerals 10 and 11 indicate two shallow ortray-like rectangular receptacles having the same structure, each havinga length of approximately 36 inches, with a width 70 of approximately 18inches, and a depth of 2 inches, the said receptacles 10 and l1 beinghinged at one side of their longer dimension, as at 12, to form aclosure when folded towardeach other. 'I'he hinge 12 permits thereceptacles 10 and 11 to be opened away from each other, and the flatbottoms thereof brought intoa common plane, so as to form the top of asubstantially square table, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. Thedimensions given are merely relative, and are of course susceptible ofvariation, as desired.

'Ihe construction is provided with four seats 13, the two at each sidebeing adapted to be folded within the contiguous shallow receptacle.Each pair of seats is supported upon a box frame composed of twoparallel .side pieces 14 and connecting end pieces 15, the seats beingarranged one at each end of the box frame and secured thereto. Legs16.are hinged to the under side of the seats, as at 1'?, two at each endof the box, and are adapted to be folded into the latter, so as to lieagainst the under side of the seat. Wire braces 18 of -V-shape arepivoted at their ends, as at 19, to the legs. The upper or hinged endsof the legs are encased on three sides by metal brackets 30 which notonly reinforce the legs but are provided with projecting ears 19 havingel' bowed and apertured end portions in which horizontal extensions ofthe brace arms 18 are engaged as best shown in Figures 7 and 8. It willbe obviousI that these brace arms are pressed inwardly when the legs arefolded as shown in Figure 3. The legs diverge when unfolded'to sup-lporting position and the brace arms 18 are therefore more divergent fromeach other in the unfolded position than they are in the foldedvposition. The points of the V-braces 18 are adapted to engage catches20, secured at the underside of the seats, and engage the catches so asto maintain the legs 16 in distended, stable position, to 110 may beturned on their pivots, and folded with the legs so as to lie parallelwithin the box. arrangement is the same in the seat at each side of thetable. In this manner, the seats are erected, and possesssuilicientstability for their purpose.

It is preferred that when the seats are erected by pulling the pivotedlegs 16 out ofthe receptacles, that the legs stand in divergingrelation, as shown, so as to brace the seats against side strains. Thisresult is-secured by cutting the endsof the legs upon an angular line,and setting the hinges at an angle, as shown in Fig. 6.

Viewing'Fig. 4, it will be observed that the table composed of thereceptacles 10 and 11, when opened, is supported from the seats atopposite sides, by means extending from the side bars 14 to the table atthe middle of the sides of the latter, the usual legs for supporting thetable being dispensed with. This feature of the construction provides aclearance which permits persons to lbe easily seated at the tablewithout interference by the seats, or other parts of the structure, andcontributes greatly to the convenience at 22 to one of the side bars 14near the middle` of the latter and at their upper ends as at 23 to theunder side of the table, support the table in horizontal position.Toggle links 24 arranged between the parallel links 21, and having arulejoint 25 intermediate their ends, are hinged at their lower ends toone of the side bars 14, as at 26, and at their upper ends to the underside of the table, as at 27.' By straightening the links 24, the saidlinks act .to brace the table. By breaking the links 24, the said linksand the links 21 may be folded within the compartment, together with theseats and their supporting legs.

The receptacles constituting the closure will be provided on the sidesopposite the line of hinges 12 with suitable loops or handles, whereby,when folded into compact form, the structure may be lifted and carried.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A legless table comprising two hinged receptacles forming a closurewhen folded together and a table top 'when opened, foldable unitscomposed of seats and legs for the seats at opposite sides of the tableand hinged connections extending from the middle of the seats to thereceptacles to support the table top from the seats and afforduninterrupted access to the seats from either -of their ends. the unitsas described being adapted to be-folded one into each of thereceptacles,and the latter then brought into closed relation.

2. -A legless table comprising two hinged receptacles forming a closurewhen folded together and a table top when opened, and foldable unitseach composed of a seatand legs for the seat hingedly connected to theadjacent receptacle, the connections between therespective sides andtheir associated table top members comprising sets of at intermediatelytoggle jointed long bars and unjointed short bars respectively hinged tothe central portions of the inner and outer side margins of the tabletop members and to the inner side margins of their associated seats,said bars, when swung upon their hinges, being foldable to transversepositions within their associated table top members and interposedbetween such top members and the seat frame.

3. A legless table comprising two hinged receptacles forming a closurewhen folded together and a table top when opened, and supporting meansfor the table top residingin units composed of oppositely arranged seatsand legs for the seats and hinged connections extending between theseats and the outer edge of the adjacent receptacle, with a toggleconnection between the seat and the inner edge of the said receptacle tostabilize the structure: one unit of the said seats and legs andconnections and toggle being foldable into each of the receptacles andcontained therein when the latter are closed.

4. -A structure of the character described, comprising two foldablemembers, having plane outer surfaces, hinged at one side and adaptedwhen opened to form with their supporting means 100 a legless table, andmeans for supporting the table top from its sides to provide an entirelyclear and unobstructed area beneath the same; the said supporting meansresiding in foldable units composed' of oppositely positioned seats withlegs 105 therefor and hinged connections from the seats to the adjacenttable member, the said connections being arranged intermediately of theends of the seats to afford free access to the seats from their ends andto the area beneath the table, and such units as described being adaptedto be disposed oppositely with relation to each other in the spacebetween the table members and retained therein when the latter arefolded.

5. A table and seat assembly comprising the combination with spacedseatsr connected with each other in opposite pairs, with supports forthe seats, and a legless, foldable, table top wholly supported from theseats, the supports for each pair of seats comprising a frame providedwith folding legs, and the table top supporting connections comprisingbars hinged to the. seat frame between the seats of each pair andrespectively hinged to the inner and outer side margins of theirassociated foldable table top members, said hinges being adapted topermit the supporting bars to fold transversely between said associatedtop member and the seat frame when the latter is folded into the topmember.

6. A table and seat assembly comprising the combination of spaced seatsconnected with each other in pairs by seat frames and a leglessl tabletop comprising a pair of hinged members wholly supported from the seatframes by folding braces extending convergently from the side margins ofthe respective top members to the inner side margins of the associatedseat frames, said braces being hinged to allow them to be folded betweenthe seats and top members and provided with hinge members and pintleselongated 4t along lines parallel with the seat frames to adapt them tosecurely support the table top against end thrust pressures, each pairof seats, their connections and top supports being foldable underneaththe associated half of the top and'the top being foldable to enclose thefolded seats, supports and connections.

C. THEO. OSTERBERG.

